Improved torpedo-ram



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. R. CHAMBERLAIN.

T ORPEDO RAM.

No. 48,260. Patented June 20, 1865.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. R. CHAMBERLAIN. TORPEDO RAM.

THE Nonms PETERS 00., PHOTO-L|THO.. WASHINGTON, o. c:

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

E. R. CHAMBERLAIN.

TORPEDO RAM.

Patented June 20, 1865.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIJAH R. CHAMBERLAIN, OF SHARONVILLE, OHIO.

IMPROVED TORPEDO-RAM.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 48,260, dated June 20, 1865; anti-dated June 10, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIJAII l-i. Oniunsnn- LAIN, of Sharonville, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio. have invented a new and useful lmprovemcn t in War-Vessels, which 1 style a Torpedo-Rani and a Depositor, and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exactdescription ol' the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, mak-- ing part of this specification, in which-- Figure]. is a vertical longitudinal section of the bow of a torpedo vessel or ram constructed upon my improved plan. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same at a? m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the stern of a vessel, illustrative of the manner ot'de'positing the torpedoes. Fig. at is a detached sectional view, showing the form and manner of operating the retaining-block hereinafter referred to.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention consists, primarily, in constructing a vessel with a circular metallicframe so formed and applied as to afl'ord a powerful medium for resisting force, and employed to hold torpedoes which project forward from the bow of the vessel to be driven into an euemys ship and then exploded.

The invention also consists in novel means for advancing penctrating-torpedocs and retaining them in their operating position, or depositing torpedoes to be exploded beneath an euemys vessel, all as will be hereinafter fully explained.

The following description will enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to fully understand and use the same.

In the drawings, A may represent the several parts of a vessel which do not-bear an essential relation to my invention.

, At the bow of the vessel is a circular metallic frame, 1 B 13 formed with latitudinal ribs or projcctionsb and firmly fitted into or between the lreelson A and the solid timbers A The rear faces of the projections b are vertical and have correspondipg bearings in the woodwork A A A thus causing the resisting parts to be at right angles with the direction in which the force applied to the said frame,

and adaptingthe latter to effectually withstand such force.

In thetorward part, B, of the frame above referred to is a central longitudinal opening, B, through which the torpedoes are passed to the exterior of the vessel, and which is made accessible from the interior by the recess 13', between the parts B B The bottom of the re cess B is formed with a semicircular groove, into which the torpedoes are placed by means of either of the ropes (J, which are provided each with a bail or pnirof cam-hooks, O. The said ropes are operated by pulleys C 0 upon aorank-shaft, 1), and they pass over pulleys O G which occupy suitable positions above the recess B. The crankshaft D is driven by connecting-rods D from the engine D and by means of the pivoted levers E E the pulleys (J may be shifted longitudinally, so as to cause them to engage with or be disengaged from projections c, in order to throw them into or out of gear with the shaft D.

F Fare endless chains passing around sprocket-wheels F F and pulleys F F, and connected to a piston, G,einploycd to force the torpedoes hrough the opening B, or project them from the exterior mouth of said opening, according to the way in which they are to be used.

On the rear end of the piston Gris formed a square enlargement or abutment, G, between which and the part B is inserted a block or retainer, H, which holds the piston in its advanced position when a torpedo is to be driven into anenemys vessel. The under side of the retainer H is shaped in conformity with the groove in the recess 13*, as shown in Fig. 4, and this said block may be placed within said recess in proper position or removed fromthe same by means of either of the ropes (J, and one of these ropes serves to raise the piston Gr upon its end, while the other is employed to place a torpedo in the recess 13*, as illustrated by the red lines in Fig. 1.. Any connections between the chains F F and piston G permitting the said piston to be turned to a vertical position may be used.

I is a vertically-sliding gate adapted to close the opening B and prevent the entrance of water when saidopening is not occupied by a torpedo or the piston (3. This block may be raised ro-permit the passage of the. torpedoes, and lowered by means of a rack,-pinion, and crank.

The piston Gis provided with a packinggp, to form a water-tight joint when in the openin g B and the torpedoes have each two similar packin g-rin gs, j j, for the same purpose.

Motion is communicated from the cran k-shaft D to the chains F 13 through the medium of bevel'pinions dd. The pinions d are on the same shafts f with the sprockets F, and to the said shafts fare attached links f which by the advancement and retraction of a rod, F

may be made to move the shafts faway from or toward each other, so as to break or form the connection between the pinions d d, and thus suspend or produce the rotation of the chains ()peration: When a torpedo is to be driven into an enemys vessel and exploded therein the various parts are employed in the manner shown in Fig. 1. ThetorpedoJ thus employed is formed with a converging or punching front, and is placed within the groove of the recess B while the; piston is held up endwise. The front of the torpedo J having been forced part of the way into theo ening B by the piston in its upright condition, said piston .G is re tracted and lowered,the wire or line K passed through,and the piston G advanced into the openi'n g, B carrying beforeit the torpedo J until the latter projects to a sufficient extent forward of the bow of the vessel, its rear end being held within the mouth of the opening B As soon as the torpedo reaches this position the motion of the chain is arrested by throwit, as before explained. As soon as the torpedo is drivcn into an enemys ship it may be forced out of the opening B either by the piston G or by the backing of the vessel. vIn the latter case the gets I, which is raised as soon as the torpedo is fairly into the opening B, will fall before thetorpedo is drawn'com pletely out, and the line K will continue to run out through a slot in the under side of the gate protected by an artery-valve, so that anylength of line may be run out while the'gate is closed. As soon as the line ceases to be paid out'the continued motion of the vessels draws a friction-primer within the torpedo and effects the explosion.

he torpedoes J, which are deposited in the water to be exploded beneath the vessels of an enemy, are formed each with a longitudinal groove, which is occupied by the main lay ing line or rope K, while the torpedo is passing through theopening B said rope K rum ning out through a central hole in the piston G in like manner with the wire K. The exploding-wires K of the torpedoes J are coiled round the rear, and. therefore are covered by hoods J which retain the wires K in the compact form represented inFig. 3 until the torpedo is by the piston G forced entirely through the opening 13*, when the torpedo sinks and the hood becomes detached therefrom and constitutes a buoy,.as illustrated.

I propose to have a frame, B B B, with its described appurtenances, located in the stern,

.(as well as in the bow.,) for depositing torpecessfully and without any indication of such operation being in progress, inasmuch as they are passed out of the vessel at a point below the water-line. It will also be seen that they may be laid and exploded while the vessel containing them is being pursued by an ad versary.

Having thus described my invention, thefollowing is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The frame B B B b, constructed substantially as described, adapted to permit torpedoes to be expelled from the interior of the vessel below the water-line, or to hold them at its mouth and receive and efl'ectually withstand the force which is applied to the torpedo on being driven into an 'enemys v ssel.

2. In combination with the abo e, the pist'on G G, operated by the chains F F or other suitable means, and employedto expel the torpedo through the opening B or, in connection with the block H, to retain the torpedo in its operating position when the same is to be driven into .an opposing body.

3. The ropes O and books 0, in combination with the pulleys C and their shifting levers E E, the whole bin g arranged to operate substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

4. In combination with the aforesaid frame 3' B B, the gate-I, operating, as herein described, to close the opening B when said opening is not occupied by a torpedo or the expelling-piston. v

E. R. OHAMBEBLAIIT Witnesses:

.Ocravrns KNIGHT,

0.1). SMITH. 

